The Answer? Let's Hope So

I went 16 years without being in the hospital. This is a HUGE accompishment for me. But, alas, the streak is over. My stomach was hurting so bad this week, I just couldn't take it anymore. I went to my doc, who said to go to the ER to get admitted. UGH!! BOO!! But I did. When it was time to admit me the hospital was so full, I went to this holding area. It was blocked off by curtains, and I was so high on morphine, that it didn't bother me at all. I heard so many interesting things through the curtains. One lady cursed every time her IV machine beeped. Another poor lady had had a stroke, and was very weepy (very sad). One woman had a blood clot and was trying to convince the docs to let her go home so she could go to her Christmas party. (If you don't know, if the blood clot moves, it could go to your heart or head and KILL YOU...that didn't seem to bother her! CRAZY!!)

I made up for the CT scan I didn't have last week with another round of contrast. This time though, it tasted like syrupy Crystal Light. Not false advertising this time...see

And these people were able to find a vein for the IV and several blood tests. Those other guys last week were morons!!

Anyway, bottom line is everything looked normal. The surgeon said he wasn't confident that the gall bladder was the problem, and it seemed more muscular in nature. It's like a muscle spasm in my stomach wall that won't let go. He gave me a MILD muscle relaxer to "break the cycle", and GUESS WHAT...it's working! My first meal, after not eating for the first 24 hours of my lovely hospital stay, was graham crackers and chocolate ice cream..can't beat that!! I've had 4 real meals since then with no pain whatsoever. This is incredibly exciting for me. I'm off for the next two weeks from work, so I will be resting in a winter wonderland of complete meals trying NOT to gain back each of the 10 pounds that I've lost...eeek!